Beit Shemesh women to hold flash-mob against extremism

A group of women from Beit Shemesh announced Wednesday that they will hold a dance flash-mob on Friday to protest what they perceive as an increase in haredi (ultra-orthodox) violence against secular and national-religious communities.

"We wanted to express our feelings in a unique way and highlight a different face of Beit Shemesh", said Beit Shemesh resident Brenda Ganot in a press release. "We love our city and want peaceful coexistence between the different sectors of the population; however, we will not sit quietly and let a group of crazy extremists set the tone for our city and we will not be afraid to express ourselves in the public sphere.”

Tensions between Beit Shemesh's various populations have risen in recent weeks after a haredi man spat on a eight-year-old girl walking to school. The incident caused a nation-wide uproar, instigating a number of campaigns against ultra-orthodox extremism and gender-based segregation.